Telescoping container



May 26, 1964 A. E. JOHNSON 3 TELESCOPING CONTAINER Filed July 13, 1962 INVENTOR.

4004; c/OH/VS 0M /6 /4 BY ,47'70E/VEYS.

United States Patent Ofi ice 3,134,499, v Patented May 26, 1964 3,134,499 TELESCOPING C(ENTAZNER Adoli' E. Eohnsen, 5221 S. 83rd St, Raiston, Nehr. Fiied July 13, 1962, Ser. No. 292631 Claims. (Ci. 220-8) This invention relates to a novel telescoping container for a plurality of boxes, such as packages of individual servings of cereals and the like.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a container of the kind indicated, which can be telescopically shortened as packages are removed therefrom, where by the overall bulk represented by remaining packages and the container is substantially reduced, in the interest of easier storage and handling, and in the interest of containment of the remaining packages against being spilled out of the container and exposure to damage.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a simple, inexpensive, and efiicient container of the character indicated above, which is composed of a minimum number of uncomplex and easily assembled parts.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic perspective view of a container of the present invention, a full complement of individual packages being shown therein in phantom lines;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the container, per se, showing the same separated into telescopic sections; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the container showing the sections telescoped to contain remaining packages, shown in phantom lines.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the illustrated container, generally designated 19, is shown conformably containing a plurality, herein shown as five, of rectangular packages P, and as individual servings of cereal, which are adapted to be removed from the con tainer, one or more at a time, so as to leave remaining packages in the container for future removal, as needed.

The container 19 comprises an elongated rectangular bottom wall 12, having relatively low longitudinal side walls 14 extending along its side edges, relatively high first and second end walls 16 and 16', on the ends of the bottom wall, and abbreviated relatively high side wall portions 18 and 13'. The abbreviated side wall portions 18 and 18' are on the side edges of the end walls 16 and 16, respectively, and are of the same height as the end walls, and have lower portions which bear against and are suitably secured to the inner surfaces of the side walls 14.

A longitudinally elongated rectangular tongue 20, narrower than the bottom wall 12, has, on one end thereof, an upstanding tab 22, which is secured, as by means of staples 24, to the lower part of the end wall 16, so that the tongue extends along and rests upon the bottom wall 12, and has a free end 26, which is near to and spaced from the end wall 16. The tongue 29 is held down in place by the packages P. The ongue 2G is provided, at longitudinally spaced intervals, with transverse weakened lines 28, of suitable form, which enable shortening the tongue as packages P are removed from the container The container bottom wall 12 and the side walls 14,

are formed, about midway between their ends, with aligned transverse weakened lines 30 and 32, respectively, of any suitable form, which are severable to form the container into two similar sections A and B, when one or more packages P are removed from the container, which are adapted to be telescoped in order to shorten the container an amount equal to the dimensions of the removed packages, and in order to compactly contain the remaining packages, as indicated in FIGURE 5.

V The container section A is telescoped into the container section B, with the bottom wall of the section A disposed between the tongue 24) and the bottom wall of the section B. As additional packages of those remaining in the telescoped sections are removed therefrom, the tongue 20 is shortened by tearing the same along the weakened lines 28. The weight of the remaining packages P holds the tongue 20 down in place and produces frictional engagement between the tongue and the bottom 'walls of the sections, which serve to hold the sections in their telescoped relationship.

Although there has been shown and described a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A telescoping container comprising first and second sections, said sections having bottom walls having free inner ends and having upstanding end walls on their outer ends, and side walls extending from the end walls to said inner ends, said sections being telescoped with the bottom wall of the first section overlying the bottom wall of the second section and with the side walls of the first section engaged with the inner surfaces of the side walls of the second section, a tongue secured at one end to the end wall of the second section and having a free end, said tongue freely overlying the bottom wall of the first and second sections.

2. A telescoping container comprising first and second sections, said sections having bottom walls having free inner ends and having upstanding end walls on their outer ends, and side walls extending from the end walls to said inner ends, said sections being telescoped with the bottom Wall of the first section overlying the bottom wall of the second section and with the side walls of the first section engaged with the inner surfaces of the side walls of the second section, a tongue secured at one end to the end Wall of the second section and having a free end, said tongue freely overlying the bottom wall of the first and second sections, said tongue having longitudinally spaced transverse weakened lines spaced from its ends adapted to be severed to shorten the tongue as the sections are progressively telescoped together.

3. A telescoping container comprising first and second sections, said sections having bottom walls having free inner ends and having upstanding end walls on their outer ends, and side walls extending from the end walls to said inner ends, said sections being telescoped with the bottom wall of the first section overlying the bottom wall of the second section and with the side walls of the first section engaged with the inner surfaces of the side walls of the second section, a tongue secured at one end to the end wall of the second section and having a free end, said tongue freely overlying the bottom wall of the first and second sections, said one end of the tongue having an upstanding tab engaged with and secured to the inner surface of the second section end wall.

4. A telescoping container comprising first and second sections, said sections having bottom walls having free inner ends and having upstanding end walls on their outer ends, and side walls extending from the end Walls f first section engaged with the inner surfaces of the side Walls of the second section, a tongue secured at one end to the end wall of the second section and having a free end, said tongue freely overlying the bottom walls of the first and second sections, and a row of individual packages extending between and engaged with the end walls and resting upon the tongue and producing frictional retaining engagements between the tongue and the bottom walls of the sections and between the bottom walls of the first and second sections. 7

5. A telescoping'contaiuer comprising first and second sections, said sections having bottom walls having free i inner ends and having upstanding end walls on their outer ends, and side Walls extending from the end walls to said inner ends, said sections being telescoped with the bottom wall of the first section overlying the bottom wall of the second section and with the side walls of the first section engaged with the inner surfaces of the side Walls of the second section, a tongue secured at one end to the end wall of the second section and having a free end, said tongue freely overlying the bottom walls of the first and second sections, said end walls having abbreviated side walls on their side edges and extending longitudinally inwardly from the end walls and engaged with the inner surfaces of the side walls and reaching thereabove.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,816,399 Rohwedder July 28, 1931 1,816,400 Rohwedder July 28, 1931 1,858,179 Bay May 10, 1932 2,145,430 New Jan. 31, 1939 2,271,962 Weiner Feb. 3, 1942 2,279,381 Richardson Apr. 14, 1942 2,334,902 Buttery Nov. 23, 1943 

2. A TELESCOPING CONTAINER COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND SECTIONS, SAID SECTIONS HAVING BOTTOM WALLS HAVING FREE INNER ENDS AND HAVING UPSTANDING END WALLS ON THEIR OUTER ENDS, AND SIDE WALLS EXTENDING FROM THE END WALLS TO SAID INNER ENDS, SAID SECTIONS BEING TELESCOPED WITH THE BOTTOM WALL OF THE FIRST SECTION OVERLYING THE BOTTOM WALL OF THE SECOND SECTION AND WITH THE SIDE WALLS OF THE FIRST SECTION ENGAGED WITH THE INNER SURFACES OF THE SIDE WALLS OF THE SECOND SECTION, A TONGUE SECURED AT ONE END TO THE END WALL OF THE SECOND SECTION AND HAVING A FREE END, SAID TONGUE FREELY OVERLYING THE BOTTOM WALL OF THE FIRST AND SECOND SECTIONS, SAID TONGUE HAVING LONGITUDINALLY SPACED 